Office courtesy
The Office Courtesy Series: Office Refrigerator Etiquette
Refrigerators are wonderful inventions, allowing us to store perishable food for weeks at a time. They’re especially ideal to have at work—we can make lunch at home, store it in the fridge at the office, and save money that would otherwise be spent on restaurant food. However, these useful ice boxes have a downside. They […]
What does “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone” really mean?
In restaurants and near cash registers, we’ve all seen signs that state: “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.” But who can business owners really refuse service to? It’s certainly not just anyone. Here’s a breakdown of what is and isn’t covered by this familiar phrase. Can business owners really refuse service to anyone? […]
The Office Courtesy Series: 10 Tips for Microwave Etiquette At Work
Ah, the microwave. An essential, wonderfully convenient item in the workplace…except when the only available appliance to heat up food is a microwave splattered with someone else’s pasta sauce. As office workers, what can we do to minimize microwave mess? Guidelines for microwave etiquette will help ensure a clean environment. Microwaves are breeding grounds for […]
Are ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs in hotels enforceable?
How much power is behind a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign? In general, hotel rules state that guests are entitled to a certain degree of privacy, at least until the checkout time of the agreed departure date. Do Not Disturb signs often work as an effective deterrent, but can they legally keep someone out? Is there […]
5 Tips for office courtesy in open workspaces (without cubicles)
Remember when the “Dilbert” comic strip was all the rage in the ‘90s? Soon enough, Dilbert-esque cubicles will be a thing of the past. Office managers today are gravitating towards implementing open-concept offices. These are shared work stations; employees sit somewhere different every day, cleaning out their desk at closing time. Open workspaces are effective […]
The Office Courtesy Series: 8 Elevator Etiquette Essentials
Proper elevator etiquette is essential. Of all the modern conveniences, elevators might win in being the most loved and hated. We love them when they work and we would otherwise have to hike up several flights of stairs, but hate them when they’re broken, stop on every floor, or move too slowly. At times, slow elevators can […]
The Office Courtesy Series: How to Keep Coffee Areas Clean
When you experience the three o’clock slump in your workday and you don’t want to spend five dollars on Starbucks, a trip to the office coffee maker is just plain necessary. But when the grounds or creamers are depleted, workplace tension can boil over and brewing areas can become battle grounds. The same employees are […]
Office Courtesy Series: Putting the Kibosh on Kitchen Cops
Australian news organization the Herald Sun has a problem that many office workers can relate to: overzealous kitchen cops. The mess that inspired these office workers to post no less than six homemade signs around the kitchen is certainly a problem, but the bigger issue may be this out-of-control signage. There’s a sign instructing employees […]
Dining at your desk? Here’s the lunch etiquette you should follow
For some time now, the culture of long lingering lunches has been replaced by a quick meal at the desk. Reasons for this lifestyle shift range from meeting impossible deadlines, overachieving at work, to simply wanting to spend more time with family. According to a Gallup survey, nearly 67 percent of American workers eat at […]
Should your workplace have a private lactation room?
Although it’s been a requirement under the Affordable Care Act since 2010, some employers remain in the dark as to their responsibility for providing private lactation rooms for employees. What’s a lactation room, exactly? According to the ACA, it is “a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion […]